The Shadow King's Shot!
by SnufflesSniffles
Summary: *BASED OFF THE MANGA*SPOILERS* The third Ohtori son has become quite accustomed to living in the shadows. In fact, he thrives there, able to do his work without interference or unwanted eyes. In the shadows, he can do as he pleases. But, perhaps there's a difference when it comes to being overshadowed by certain people, especially when it comes to affairs of the heart...
1. Chapter 1: Introduction

Hi everyone! This will be a short fill in chapter, so bear with me! I just re-read the Ouran manga (again) and I was inspired. Kyoya is my favorite character in the series, and I love to write him, but I never feel like any of my silly, fangirl ideas do him justice. Until this one!

Just to be clear, this fic is based off of the **manga- specifically the English version**. I don't know if there are differences from the other versions, but I felt like I should specify just in case! The first conversation (below) takes place during the final episode in the manga. There will be spoilers, so if you plan on reading the manga, or have yet to finish it, I suggest you not read this until you have! That said, if there are any mistakes, oversights, or suggestions you have throughout this story, please message me or comment! I would love to hear any and all feedback- or just to talk about Ouran bc I will never get tired of talking about it!

I hope you enjoy! c:

 **~Introduction~**

In the main ballroom, the Ouran High School Host Club, along with their many customers and friends are gathered for a night of joy, music, dancing, and goodbyes. In honor of the temporary departure of their beloved member, Haruhi Fujioka, the club is hosting a farewell party. On this, her last night at Ouran, Haruhi has revealed her true gender to the student body. To her surprise- many of the girls already knew her secret, along with her new budding romance with Tamaki Suoh- the Host King. Quite surprisingly, the girls are supportive of this relationship, and push the new couple to dance once a waltz begins to play.

"Are you really okay with this?" Hunny asked. Mori's usual flatline lips tipped into a small frown as he looked to the megane. "I've always thought that your feelings for Haruhi are…" the smallest host trailed off, watching the usually calculating Shadow King watching their friends have their first dance as a couple. "But maybe you're the least self-aware of us all?" he asked, looking up at Kyoya.

Kyoya peered down at him. "You think I would be interested in that pint-sized tanuki?" His voice made it sound as though it was ridiculous, but his eyes- try as he might, Hunny never could read his eyes. The blonde nodded, Takashi giving a small grunt in agreement as well. The megane scratched his head for a moment, then gave a small smile.

"I do acknowledge her worth as a person, but she's not my type." there was a short pause, and Hunny's jaw would have hit the floor if he hadn't continued with, "I won't choose anyone who won't serve to benefit the Ohtori family."

"But more importantly," Kyoya's gaze drifted to the dance floor again. His smile grew wider, more genuine, as he watched the twins teasing the idiot lord and dancing around with that pint-sized tanuki. "As I've obtained something infinitely more precious… I have no intention of ever betraying it."

 **~Afterwards; on the limo ride back to the Haninozuka Estate~**

"So, Kyo-chan does love her?" Mitskuni asked his best friend later that night. Takashi nodded solemnly. "But he loves Tama more?" the blonde boy continued.

Mori nodded again. "For now."

Mitskuni's head whipped around to look at him. "Takashi?" he asked quietly.

"Mitskuni, do you truly think Kyoya can go the rest of his life watching his best friend and the woman he loves? Without any repercussions?" Takashi's voice was rough, as if it was a hard thing to even say. And it was. He had watched Kyoya love Haruhi for a year now, and suppress it. He hadn't struggled as of yet- not as Hikaru and Kaoru had. But now, with the closest person in Kyoya's life romantically involved with her? Mori had a feeling it wouldn't be so easy for him in the future.

Hunny's shoulders sank, and he hugged Usa-chan tighter. "No offense, Taka, but..." he looked out the window, sadly, "I hope you're wrong."

Mori grunted in agreement.


	2. Chapter 2: An Awkward Lunch

A/N: I am so sorry this took so long and that it is still quite short! I wrote most of this in one sitting and then went away from it, and when I came back the muse didn't return with me. But I think it's back now, or at least, I hope that's what being able to finally finish this scene means! I'm planning on banging out a couple more scenes tonight before I crash, but I wanted to get this up ASAP, so here it is!

I know Kyoya's thoughts might seem a bit AU, but I'm still trying to get into the swing of him, I'm so sorry if I don't do him justice! It will get better as I get used to him, I promise!

And thank you so so much for reading, reviewing, and following! I am so appreciative! :D

A few weeks later, in Boston…

"Ah, Haruhi…" Kyoya smiled at the girl before him.

Haruhi opened the door wider, allowing Kyoya into her apartment. "What is it, Kyoya-senpai?" she asked, watching him as he looked around her apartment over her head.

"Tamaki invited me over for lunch today. Though, clearly he didn't mention any of this to you."

An awkward silence hung in the air.

"That idiot." the two mumbled. Haruhi looked up at Kyoya and chuckled.

"Well, since you're here, you might as well just stay. I was going to make noodles since it was just me, but I can figure something else out if you'd prefer." she told him, shutting the door that had still been open behind him.

Kyoya nodded, making his way towards the kitchen table. "I'm not particularly hungry, anyhow. Noodles will suffice."

Haruhi was taken aback. Kyoya's taste and appetite both surpassed her own. He was never quite satisfied with things she made, which never really surprised her, considering the gourmet he was used to- though he was never quite rude about her cooking, either. But, still, him being satisfied by noodles? It was definitely new.

She noticed that he had sat at one of the kitchen chairs and was looking at her expectantly. "Oh. Right." she laughed, making her way over to the stove to begin their meal.

"You seem to be getting along nicely here." Kyoya's tone was neutral, but it felt so much like a jibe that Haruhi cringed.

She turned to look at him, but he wasn't even looking at her. He was playing with the tablecloth, tracing the pattern with this pointer finger. Before she could question him or think up a come back, he was speaking again. "You're well suited for this situation, it seems. You… and Tamaki. We have only been here a few weeks, classes haven't even started yet, but the tanuki and the king are in full bloom." it seemed more as if he was narrating something than actually addressing her.

Haruhi tilted her head at him. "Senpai?" she asked, her voice concerned. Kyoya finally met her eyes, and smiled.

"What I mean is, you seem happy, Haruhi." he clarified- though Haruhi didn't really get that from anything he had said.

"I am." she agreed, turning back to their lunch. There was quiet while she turned off the gas and put their food into bowls, passing one to Kyoya. "Aren't you, Kyoya-senpai? Happy, I mean." Haruhi asked before shoving some noodles in her mouth.

Kyoya twisted some noodles around his chopsticks and began to eat, leaving her question to hang in the air for a few moments. After he had finished chewing, he gave her a small smile. "Of course I am."

"I'm glad." Haruhi smiled. A few moments passed before she added, "But, you know… if you weren't… that would be okay." her voice was quiet but strong, and Kyoya blinked at her, as if she were speaking another language. "You could tell us. We would help. I would want to know so I could help." He met her eyes finally and she smiled at him.

He blinked a few more times, as if looking at her for too long was too much for him, and then said, "Right. Well, that's nice of you to say, Haruhi. But, as I said, I am quite happy." and it wasn't a lie, not in that moment, not when the woman he loved had said something so kind to him right there in the apartment she lived in with his best friend, at the table she and his best friend sat at and ate home cooked meals together every night, across from the bed that they had probably-

Okay, so he wasn't as happy as he could have been. But that wasn't to say he wasn't happy. After all, she had just shared a small amount of her love with him, even if it had only been the platonic kind. And he had to take what he could get without overstepping the King. After all, overstepping the king is how men lose their heads. And Kyoya's head was much to valuable for that. No, he would be content with the little snips of affection Haruhi tossed his was until… until he married, he supposed. Or fell in love with another, someone beneficial and attainable, if he was truly lucky.

But he glanced across the table at Haruhi, her mouth stuffed with noodles, and she gave him a small, chipmunk cheeked smile- and he knew he would never get luckier than this.


	3. Chapter 3: Who's In Kyoya's Bed?

A/N: Wow! This story has hit over a hundred views! I'm so happy. Thank you all so much, I truly appreciate it! I really hope you're all enjoying it. And an extra special thank you to those who reviewed and favorited/followed! I was going to wait a little to post this new chapter, but once I came up with it I had to share it with you all! I hope you like it!

4am

Kyoya's Boston apartment

(A few weeks after chapter 2)

August 15

Today we went to a place called the Boston Commons. It's a large park in the middle of the city, and we quite enjoyed ourselves. Tamaki and Hunny-senpai found some ducks, and it entertained them for hours. Much to Tamaki's disappointment, they liked Mori-senpai the most.

 ***picture of Mori crouching down, surrounded by ducks, a few even climbing on him. In the background is a pouty Tamaki***

I'm sure Piyo will be jealous when he smells strange poultry on his clothes later, though. Hikaru and Kaoru enjoyed splashing around in the water- particularly splashing Tamaki when he wasn't looking.

 ***picture of Tamaki soaked in water, the twins laughing at him***

We also walked the Freedom Trail- a significant tourist spot and part of American history. There were people dressed in costumes and tour guides- which kept Tamaki and the twins busy so the rest of us could enjoy the history of it. Haruhi and Mori-senpai in particular enjoyed all the historical sights. I know I'm classified as the megane, but there's no doubt they are more "nerdy" than I am.

I am rather enjoying myself here in America, as are the rest of the Host Club members. But, of course, we miss home as well. Our families, friends, and princesses. We think of you often, and do hope you will not forget us in our absence.

Until next time, Princesses.

-Kyoya

Kyoya smiled to himself. _That should keep them hooked for a while_ , he thought, posting it on the Host Club website. He and the other hosts took turns posting journal entries on the website, wanting to get the most out of what very well could be the last year for the club. Since he and Tamaki would be graduating, he was unsure if Haruhi, Kaoru, and Hikaru would continue to run the club without him. Kyoya wanted to get the most revenue out of it while he could, and with them on a different continent, it meant a little extra effort on his part.

And it was going well, much to his surprise. Their website was getting more attention than ever before, and many ladies had already paid for invitations to the Host Club event they were planning for their short return over winter break, as well as any photos or exclusive information he was willing to divulge.

He began scrolling through the pictures from that day's outing with the Host Club. He had to choose which of those to upload, and which to save. The best ones he would keep for a new photo book he planned on releasing once they had been away for a while- they would sell like hotcakes if he released it at the right moment. Once he had decided on a couple to post, he shut his laptop and stretched his arms about his head. He had been working for hours, and it was finally time for bed.

Kyoya made his way over to his bed and pulled up the corner of the covers, getting in gently as to not disturb his companion. However, it seemed she was already awake, or he had roused her somehow, because she said "Do all future C.E.O.'s work as late as you?" Her smile was shy, but her eyes still sleepy.

"I told you, I'm the third brother. I won't be C.E.O of anything." his tone was bitter, but he pulled her close and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Now go back to sleep." Kyoya put his glasses on the bedside table before wrapping his arms around her and drifting off almost immediately.

At a more acceptable time, that same day.

"Kyoya?" she asked gently. He could hear her, but he also knew it was too damn early to be woken up. "Kyoya, I know you don't like to get up in the mornings, but your friend is at the door asking for you."

Kyoya groaned, but to Liz it sounded more like a growl. "Tell the bastard to bother someone else." he rolled over onto his back and opened one eye a bit to look at her. She was blurry without his glasses, but he could tell she was still in the lingerie she had been wearing the night before, and he smirked. "Then come back to bed." he added.

Elizabeth giggled, nodding. "Alright, I'll get rid of him."

A few minutes later, Kyoya was awoken again when she crawled back into bed next to him, curling up against him. He tilted her head up and captured her lips with his.

"Better?" she asked him, smirking. He only smirked back before crashing his lips against hers again.

A floor below,

Tamaki's apartment

"Hello Honey-senpai! Mori-senpai!" Tamaki greeted, opening his door for his friends. "You're up here earlier than I expected. I thought we were meeting for lunch." he said, looking at his watch. He wasn't even dressed yet. It was only 8:45- he was surprised Honey was up at all.

"Hika-chan and Kao-chan are on their way up." Honey said, not answering his question.

Tamaki looked from Mori to Honey, confused. "Haruhi is out this morning. She was headed to buy her books for the upcoming semester." Tamaki explained.

Honey smiled, but shook his head. "That's okay. We can just see her at lunch." he said, flopping down onto Tamaki's couch. Antionette jumped up to join him, and Honey began petting her happily.

"We thought we should talk beforehand, just us." Mori clarified, though it didn't truly help Tamaki understand.

"Is something wrong?" Tamaki asked, looking to the two of them, who were now both petting Antionette.

Honey opened his mouth to answer, but before he could the door opened, and the twins let themselves in. "Oh, sure, just let yourselves in, you Demon Twins! What if I had been naked or something! What if Haruhi had been here and she had been naked!" Tamaki shouted.

The twins exchanged looks. "Is Haruhi naked in your apartment a lot, Milord?" Kaoru grinned. Tamaki's face turned red, and he began stammering.

"O-of course not! It was just an example! A hypothetical!" The blonde shouted.

"Why would she be in here naked, anyway?" Kaoru asked.

Hikaru smirked. "That's right. If she really wants some company while naked, she knows we're only down the hall." Hikaru taunted.

Tamaki was shouting and stammering and the twins were laughing and it probably would have gone on for hours if Mori hadn't cleared his throat. The three bickering friends turned to look at him, and the smile on Honey's face… changed. He was still smiling, but it wasn't one Tamaki had seen before. He couldn't really place it, and it worried him. Tamaki went and stretched out in the chair next to Honey- and was only slightly disappointed when Antionette stayed seated between his two older firmed instead of joining him. The twins found seats, as well.

Hikaru looked around for a moment. "Where's Kyoya?" he asked, looking to Tamaki. The king could only shrug.

"He's why we're here." Mori said briskly, never looking away from the dog he was so affectionately playing with.

Tamaki and the twins exchanged worried glances, and looked expectantly at their elders. "Is he okay?" Tamaki shouted, suddenly sitting up and alert. If Kyoya was hurt he should know! Oh, what could have happened? Maybe his glasses had broken and he was blind now! Or maybe he had gotten kidnapped by someone and was being held ransom! Or-

His internal diatribe came to a screeching halt when Honey said: "We think he has a girlfriend."

Sorry to leave you at that! I really want what comes next to be as well-thought out and great as it can be, so I want to work on it some more before I post it. And... I kind of like leaving things like this, haha! xoxo!


	4. Chapter 4: Kyoya's Hidden Princess!

"We think he has a girlfriend." Honey said. He was looking straight at Tamaki when he said this, but it was clear the King wasn't really there. His mind was racing, heart thumping fast. Kyoya... had a girlfriend?

"What?" Kaoru asked. He and Hikaru looked surprised, but it was nothing compared to Tamaki's look of bewilderment. "Why do you think that, Honey-senpai?"

Honey smiled. Sometimes his friends could be so oblivious. "How often has Kyo-chan been around the past week?" Honey asked. His friends exchanged glances, but stayed silent. "How many times has he left early?" still nothing, "Gone to back to his apartment before 11, claiming to be headed to bed?"

"Okay, sure! But why does any of that mean he's got a girlfriend?" Hikaru asked, growing bored of Honey's question game.

"I thought he was sick. But, this morning, Mori and I were walking past the door to his apartment on our way to morning training and we heard… singing." Honey said. "It was quiet, but I could hear it. And it was definitely coming from Kyo-chan's apartment. So we knocked. And it continued. And we knocked again. And, eventually, a girl answered the door!"

The room was quiet. "Well?" Kaoru asked, looking eagerly at Honey. Honey tilted his head. "What did you say to her? What did she say? Who was she?" Kaoru pressed. He and Hikaru were on the edge of their seats, while Tamaki was… frozen, it seemed, eyes still wide as saucers.

"Oh! She was very nice! Her name is Elizabeth, and she's American! It was clear she hasn't known Kyoya for very long, though, because she even tried to wake him up for me when I asked to talk to him." Honey laughed a little at this.

"She tried to wake him up? Was she okay?" Hikaru asked, concerned.

Honey laughed, and nodded. "She was. She told me that Kyo-chan told her to 'tell the bastard to bother someone else'. I think he thought I was you, Tama!" Honey giggled, smiling at his still bewildered friend. "I invited her to come to lunch with us all today. That's why I wanted to tell everyone now- so there wouldn't be surprises at lunch." Honey finished, beaming.

"So," Tamaki breathed, coming back to life. "Kyoya has a girlfriend?" he asked.

Honey nodded.

"And… she spent the night in his apartment last night?"

Honey nodded again.

"Well, you did the right thing, then, Honey-senpai!" He stood up suddenly, springing into action. "If Kyoya has been too shy to tell us about his lover, than we will show him there was nothing to fear!" he shouted, looking up towards the ceiling as if in a victory-stance.

"Right!" the twins said, nodding in agreement and taking similar poses.

It was Honey and Mori's turn to exchange looks. "Just be sure not to scare her off." Mori warned, eying the three. Honey could be carless when it came to people, too, but not as bad as those three. Mori stood up and smiled at his friends. "Now that our work is done here, we've got to get to training." he told them, though it was more directed at Mitskuni.

Honey smiled up at him and they said goodbye to their friends. "We'll see you at lunch!" Honey called before closing the door behind he and Mori.

"Well, boys. Let's get to work! Operation: Make Kyoya's Girlfriend Feel Welcome is a-go!" Tamaki said. The three huddled together and began planning out their afternoon.

10:30am

Kyoya's apartment

"Shit, Elizabeth, you used all the hot water!" Kyoya shouted, angrily shutting the shower off. He wrapped a towel around his waist and could hear Elizabeth laughing from the kitchen.

"Well, you should have showered with me like I suggested!" she called back. Kyoya rolled his eyes. Well, at least he had been able to wash the shampoo out of his hair before the water turned to ice. He got dressed and made his way to the kitchen, where Liz was making breakfast.

She brought a pan over to his spot at the table and scooped some eggs into his plate, then kissed him quickly. "I'm sorry I used up all the hot water. I'll be more careful." she told him, before moving to the other side of the table and putting the rest of the eggs onto her own plate.

They ate in silence for a while, until Kyoya noticed the amount of eggs on Liz's plate. "Hungry today, are we?" he asked.

"Oh, well… you're going to laugh at me." Kyoya raised his eyebrows at this, and she sighed. "I wanted to fill up now so I don't look like a pig in front of your friends." Liz said.

Kyoya wasn't sure what surprised him more, the fact that she had mentioned seeing his friends, or that she was worried about something like that. Elizabeth was usually very confident, he had never imagined she would even think about things as trivial as what some high school students thought of her.

He decided to focus on the part about his friends first. "My friends?" he asked. A blush grew on her cheeks.

"Yeah. When Mitskuni came to the door this morning, he invited me to come to lunch with everyone today." she explained. "But, if you don't want me there, I understand. It's not a problem."

Kyoya shook his head. "No, it's alright. You can come if you wish. It's just…" he trailed off for a moment. She looked curiously at him. "They're a bit… much. A lot to handle, if you will. I'm not sure if you'll be comfortable." Kyoya gave her a small smile, and she returned it.

"I can handle it." Liz assured him. "And besides, you haven't talked much about your friends before. I would like to get to know them."

Kyoya chuckled. "Oh, you may have a different opinion on that once you meet them."

"Oh, come on. They're your friends, they can't be that bad." Liz said, digging back into her eggs.

"Ah, but you underestimate them." Kyoya said. He stood up from the table, taking his empty plate with him, and grabbed Liz's on the way by. "And, for the record, your appetite is nothing compared to any of them. They never would have thought you were a pig." he assured her. Kyoya brought their dishes to the sink and turned on the water, but Liz rushed over and pushed him aside with her hip.

"Nope! I do the cleaning, remember?" she said.

Kyoya chuckled. "Of course I remember. I just thought I'd pitch in a little today to make up for whatever idiotic things my friends are going to put you through at lunch." he explained.

"Kyoya…" Elizabeth said softly, turning off the sink and turning to him. "I don't have to worry about any of them, do I?" she asked.

Kyoya pulled her into a hug. "Of course not. They wouldn't be my friends if they were like that." he promised. Holding her like this made him think of the night they had first met...

* * *

A/N: YES I FINALLY FIGURED OUT HOW TO PUT THE SEPARATING LINE THANK GOODNESS!

Anyway... for hints of sexual themes, and what will be occurring in the following chapter, I have changed the rating of this story to M. I ended this chapter where I did because I wish to keep what comes next in an isolated chapter, so that people who it may trigger or might not like reading that sort of thing will be able to just skip it. I will put a summary of Chapter 5 at the beginning of Chapter 6, that way those who weren't able to read it won't be entirely lost. **The next chapter of this story will include a short, not very graphic but still potentially triggering scene of domestic violence.** I will put indicators before the scene begins and once it ends, so those possibly triggered still are able to read the following scenes in the chapter.

Also, please let me know what you think of Elizabeth! It's my first time ever writing an OC into a story, and I wasn't expecting to use one, but it just sort of happened and I really liked it? Love it or hate it, let me know! I'm still not entirely sure where this story will go, or what role Liz will play in the big scheme of things, but I do know that she will be in the rest of the story.


	5. Chapter 5: Suddenly It's Her Life Story!

A/N: Sorry this took so long, but I made a very risky decision with a character's backstory in this chapter, so I had to make sure it was right for her and the story before posting.

As I said at the end of the last chapter, this chapter deals with domestic violence and abuse. It is very mild, but I would hate to risk anyone being triggered by it, so I want to warn you. It starts right at the beginning of this chapter and I noted where the actual violence stops. However, it will be referenced and talked about throughout the rest of the chapter, but not in much detail. I will recap the important parts of this chapter at the beginning of the next, so you can feel free to skip the whole thing if it is too much for you.

That said, I hope you enjoy this chapter, and as usual, thanks for all the support on this story!

* * *

Kyoya remembered when he had met Liz, just a few weeks ago. He had been having trouble sleeping, so he had gone for a walk around the neighborhood to clear his head.

He remembered hearing the scream and running towards it without a second thought. He came across a small alley between two buildings, and in it Kyoya found a girl on the ground, clearly crying, and a man standing above her.

"Hey, leave her alone!" Kyoya shouted.

The man barely gave him a glance. "Get lost, kid," he grunted, before grabbing the girl and forcing her to stand, only to smack her. He grabbed her waist and tried dragging her to the apartment they were next to, but the girl was struggling. "Come on, let's take this inside."

"No!" she shrieked, struggling harder.

Kyoya had his phone out, already calling one of his guards, when the girl stomped her high heel into the man's foot as hard as she could. His grip loosened slightly as he instinctively doubled over in pain, but he wasn't letting go. Kyoya looked around- no one was around. There were no security cameras or people walking by, and none of his body guards were anywhere in sight. The man began pulling the girl towards Kyoya and the front of the building, and Kyoya knew he had to act.

He let them walk by him, but when he did, Kyoya kicked the man in the back of the knee as hard as he could- and he released the girl, falling to the ground. "Fuck!" the man shouted. Quickly, Kyoya grabbed the girl and pulled her into his arms, away from the man, who was still reaching for her. "Shouldn't have done that." the man said, already beginning to recuperate and get to his feet.

The girl then turned from Kyoya and back to the man, and forced her high heel into his groin. He yelled and fell to his knees. The girl turned from him and grabbed Kyoya's hand. "Come on, we've got to go before he gets up," she told him, pulling him down the street. So, he ran with her. He found she was rather slow, perhaps even limping a bit- he would have taken her in his arms and carried her, but it became unneeded. A car pulled up beside them, and Kyoya grabbed her hand, telling her to stop as well.

"Tachibana, finally. Thank you for coming," he said through the open front window. Kyoya opened the back door to the car, got in, and then looked at Elizabeth. "Are you coming?"

Liz hesitated for a moment, but only a moment. She got in the car with him, and Tachibana drove off. Kyoya turned to her. "Are you hurt?" he asked, finally taking a moment to look at her. Her hair was light, but still, some shade of brown, and her eyes were like ice. She appeared to be American, about his age, and he couldn't help but wonder what on earth she had been doing with a man probably twice her age.

"A bit banged up," she admitted, not meeting his eyes. "It's nothing I need a hospital for, though. I'm alright."

Kyoya let his eyes find her arms, which were littered with bruises and marks. He couldn't help but wonder if there were any hidden under her t-shirt or jeans. The thought alone made his blood boil, but he forced himself to focus back on her. "What is your name?" he asked, feeling a bit rude he hadn't asked sooner.

 **-END OF VIOLENCE-**

"Elizabeth Blake." she gave him a small smile and held out her hand to him. He knew that name from somewhere, but couldn't place it.

"Kyoya Ohtori" he shook her hand and forced a smile himself. He almost wanted to laugh- how could she be like this after what she had just been through? Were all Americans this strange? "Elizabeth, are you going to be safe in your home tonight?" Kyoya asked.

Liz's smile disappeared. "No." was all she said. Kyoya nodded.

"Tachibana, take us to the apartment, please," he instructed. The driver nodded.

The rest of the short ride was silent, and both Elizabeth and Kyoya thanked Tachibana for his assistance. Before entering the building, Elizabeth stopped, grabbing Kyoya's arm.

"You don't have to do this. I can find somewhere else," she told him. Kyoya pondered this for a moment.

"You're right. I don't have to do this," he said. She nodded, her face falling slightly. She opened her mouth to speak but stopped when Kyoya took her hand in his and smiled gently. Liz grinned, and Kyoya escorted her into the building and up to his apartment.

Once there, Kyoya led her to the bathroom so she could shower. She thanked him, and he went to his dresser, bringing a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt for her to change into once she was finished and left her to it.

While his guest showered, Kyoya readied the bedroom for her. He put a bottle of water on the bedside table, folded the corner of the covers down for her, and changed into his own pajamas. He then readied the couch in the living room for himself to spend the night on.

He felt strange doing all this. He certainly wasn't the chivalrous type, no, he left that to Tamaki. But this girl had been through a lot, and he didn't even know the extent of it, or if she truly was okay. So, the least he could do was be a proper gentleman to her.

When Elizabeth came out of the shower, Kyoya was on the couch working on his laptop. He was exhausted, and wanted to go to bed, but felt it would be rude, and unwise, to leave her to her own devices in his apartment.

"How do you feel?" He asked, not looking up from his laptop screen, hands typing away.

Liz sat down on the other end of the couch, her dirty clothes folded neatly in her arms. "I'm okay. Sore, but okay," she told him. Kyoya nodded.

"Well, you should get some rest. The bed is all ready for you," he told her, still not looking at her. "If you put those clothes in the hamper in my room, I can take care of them tomorrow."

Elizabeth moved closer to him on the sofa. "Kyoya?" she asked. He finally set his computer down on the coffee table in front of him and looked at her with raised eyebrows. She closed the space between them and hugged him. All he could think was how much it reminded him of Haruhi- her hugs, too, were gentle like this, but still able to convey a lot. He found himself hugging her back, though much lighter so he wouldn't hurt her sore body. "Thank you," she whispered. Kyoya felt himself smile.

When the two separated, Elizabeth stood up and made her way to Kyoya's bedroom. "Goodnight," she called from the doorway.

"Goodnight," he replied, the small smile still on his face. She shut the door behind her, and Kyoya picked up his laptop again.

The next morning, Kyoya was awoken by the smell of bacon. He sat up quickly, panicked- he lives alone. But then the events of the previous night flooded back to him, and he relaxed a bit. From where he sat he could see Elizabeth at the stove, her hair up in a messy bun, still wearing the pajamas he had lent her.

A funny jolt went through Kyoya's stomach. There was something… strange about seeing a woman in his clothes. It wasn't a comfortable feeling, but also not unpleasant. He had begun wondering if Haruhi would look as good in his pajamas when Elizabeth noticed he was awake, and still staring at her. "Good morning!" she chirped.

"I wasn't sure how you like your eggs, but I only know how to make scrambled, so…" Liz told him, dumping some of the eggs onto one plate, and the rest on another. There was a plate with bacon in the middle of the table, and Kyoya eyed them but hesitated, sitting down at the table he had barely used yet. Elizabeth brought over the plates, setting one in front of him, and sitting down at the table across from him.

"How did you sleep?" Elizabeth asked. Kyoya's brows furrowed together at this. Shouldn't he be asking her that?

"I slept fine." he lied. Kyoya was not accustomed to sleeping on couches, so it had been a rough night for him. But she needn't know that. "And yourself?"

Elizabeth smiled at him. "It was really nice. Your bed is the softest thing I've ever slept on." she gushed. Kyoya eyed his food but didn't take a bite until a few minutes after Liz, making sure that it was safe to eat. Once she didn't show any signs of poison from eating the food, Kyoya dug in.

"Thank you for breakfast, Elizabeth. It was very good," he told her twenty minutes later, standing up from the table.

"Oh, it's the least I could do," Liz told him, smiling. She put their dishes in the sink and seemed to be prepared to wash them, but Kyoya stopped her.

"Elizabeth, I think we should talk," Kyoya said, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "Would you like coffee?" he asked her. She nodded, and he poured her one as well. After adding the fixings to their coffees, the two went over to the living room and sat on the couch. "I know who you are, Miss Blake." Kyoya began. Elizabeth smirked but said nothing. "I knew I had heard your name before. You're the youngest daughter of Joshua Blake, owner of Blake Industries." She nodded, but still didn't interrupt.

"What I don't know is why you are here. Why a woman of your breeding and wealth was with that man, in a situation such as that, why you were not guarded, why last night you chose to come here instead of being brought to your father's estate, or one of the many other places I'm sure your family owns nearby." And, there he was, the gentleman that Kyoya had been for her last night out the window. "I know this may seem harsh, given what you've been through. But I do not like being toyed with or used, Miss Blake, and I will not allow it to go on any further."

Elizabeth sat up a little straighter, her face now serious. "If you think anything that happened last night was less than genuine, I should just leave now." her eyes were boring into his, but it was his turn to say nothing. "You may know who my family is, but you don't know me. None of them did, either. I… my father kicked me out. I have no money, and no one except for myself to pay for my first semester at university."

"That still doesn't explain what happened last night," Kyoya said.

Elizabeth sighed. "Kyoya, I'm a prostitute." her tone was hard to read, but Kyoya could tell she wasn't ashamed of the fact.

"My dad threw me out, cut me off, I had nowhere to go and only the clothes on my back. I was walking around Boston trying to figure out what to do, and I ran into a few girls, some nice girls. And they set me up with a job that paid enough to get me on my feet fast, so I took it. _Don't look at me like that!_ " she snapped, and Kyoya looked away from her.

"I don't enjoy it. I don't like living like this or having to deal with shitty men. But I do what I have to do. I work a real job as well, waitressing in a little cafe, but it doesn't pay much. It was the only job I could get with no qualifications, though. Well, that, and… you know." she mumbled the last bit, seeming to lose her nerve a bit.

He met her eyes again. "So, that man…" he couldn't bring himself to say the words, but she didn't make him.

"He's my roommate. I just met him through an ad in the paper, but he seemed nice enough. We've been living together for about a month, but he found out about my job and… well, he didn't seem to approve." Liz let out a humorless laugh. Kyoya didn't find it funny in the slightest. He wasn't sure what to do or say, so they sat there sipping their coffees for a few moments until Elizabeth spoke up again. "So, do you still think I'm scamming you?"

Kyoya shook his head. How could he hear all of that and think anything at all? He needed time to digest it. He needed to think, to breathe. He couldn't even figure out if he should look at her or not. She was a prostitute. A sinner in the highest degree. A common whore. But… she was kind and witty, and if the article he had found online the previous night was correct, she was headed to Harvard in the fall, so there was no doubt she was smart.

Kyoya's phone began to ring, and it startled him so much he actually flinched. Picking it up off the table, he saw it was Tamaki, and couldn't help but smile in spite of himself. "I need to take this," Kyoya told Liz, who merely nodded. He answered the phone and stood, moving towards the hallway. "Hello Tamaki." he greeted, stepping out into the hall and shutting the door behind him. He didn't want to be overheard by his guest.

"Kyoya! Are you going to spend the day with Haruhi and me? We're going to check out the city some more." Tamaki practically shouted through the phone.

Kyoya thought for a moment. "I can't today. I-I have a meeting." he lied. Before Tamaki could whine about the rejection, Kyoya continued. "Tamaki… if you found out someone was destitute and had to do unspeakable things because of it, would you help them?" he couldn't believe he had actually asked. Certainly, his fitful night's sleep on the couch wasn't doing his brain much good.

"Of course! Why? Kyoya, you aren't poor, are you? Oh, what happened? What can I do? Kyoya!" Tamaki rambled, and Kyoya rolled his eyes.

"Shut up, Tamaki. I'm fine. It was just a question. A-a fan asked it in one of the emails I received today and I was just curious." Kyoya hated lying to Tamaki, but usually, the truth was much worse when in his hands.

"Oh, I see. Well, of course, I would. I would help anyone that needed me. Wouldn't you?" Tamaki asked, and Kyoya could picture the child-like innocence on his face while he asked.

Kyoya sighed. "I suppose. I have to go, Tamaki. I'll talk to you later." and hung up just as his friend began shouting a gooey goodbye into the phone. Kyoya took a few deep breaths to maintain his cool and proceeded back into the apartment.

Elizabeth was now dressed in her dirty clothes from the night before and had put her coffee mug in the sink. "I think I should be going," she said, not looking at him. "I do want to do the dishes before I go, though. I don't want to leave a mess." she clarified, turning on the sink water.

Kyoya went over to her and turned off the faucet. She looked up at him, and for a moment it seemed as if they might kiss, but instead, he turned away and said "We haven't finished our discussion. Please, come join me." She was worried at this but did as he asked.

"What I am about to say only stands if everything you told me is true. I will be having someone look into it, so believe me, I will find out if it isn't." Kyoya began. Elizabeth nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat.

"You may stay here, for a time, under the following conditions. You will quit your… other source of employment. Instead, you will work for me. This includes cooking, cleaning, and any other assistance I may require." He had expected her to stop him at this point, but she didn't.

"You will understand that accepting this offer means you are now affiliated with and represent the Ohtori Group- and our standards are impeccably high. You will not be seen participating in any illegal activities, or behaving in any manner ill-befitting of a young woman." Okay, he really thought she would object to that one.

"You will not divulge details of your employment to anyone without my permission. You will not bring men, or women, into this apartment without my approval. That includes family members. Professionally, you will be loyal to me and only me." Her face had barely changed while he went over all his rules, and he found himself being just a little impressed.

"Additionally, you will allow a tracking device placed in your cell phone so that my guards may locate you in case of an emergency. Should you choose to accept, official paperwork will be drawn up, and we will make more official arrangements." Kyoya's eyes never left her's.

Liz was dumbfounded. Firstly, it was the most she had heard Kyoya speak since they had met. She was impressed by his extensive English vocabulary and his intelligence in general. From what she knew of the Ohtori family from her father, he must be in high school, but she could tell he was far brighter than that.

She also… never could have seen this coming. An offer to live with him and work for him? She had never been more shocked. The boy seemed to barely put up with her in the short time they had known each other, and now this! She didn't know what to do.

But… thinking about it… hadn't becoming a prostitute and selling her body to make ends meet been much worse than what he was offering? And hadn't she said she would do whatever she had to do to get back on her feet? Liz so hated being a prostitute, she had longed for a better offer to come along since she had started, and now here she was, an amazing offer sitting right in front of her.

After a few moments, a smile spread across Elizabeth's face. "Kyoya Ohtori, you've got yourself a new assistant."

* * *

A/N: So, thoughts? Now how do we feel about Liz? And what about Kyoya? Did he do the right thing? Am I doing an okay job of portraying him? Tell me that and every other thought in the comments!

Thank you for reading, favoriting, following, and reviewing! And for your patience in waiting for this update. Now that I've made my big decisions about Liz's backstory (I had a hard time choosing between a drug dealer, gang member, and prostitute- as well as deciding if I wanted her to come from a rich family or not, as both these choices will be extremely important to the story.)


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